General manager Trent Baalke hasn’t signed many free agents onto the 49ers in the past week but he did retain last season’s team MVP, kicker Phil Dawson.

“Phil is a consummate professional whose production on the field and his leadership in both the locker room and the community have been great assets to our organization,” Baalke said in a statement Monday, confirming Dawson’s one-year deal that he agreed to Saturday. Continue Reading →

Anquan Boldin, Phil Dawson and Ian Williams have more in common than winning 49ers team awards from this past season. They’re slated to become unrestricted free agents March 9, as are guard Alex Boone, running back Reggie Bush and tight end Garrett Celek. Continue Reading →

Anquan Boldin and Phil Dawson, the oldest members of a youth-laden roster and both ticketed for free agency, earned top honors in the 49ers team awards revealed Thursday, four days after their season ended. Continue Reading →

Run offense: Gaining only 55 yards doesn’t cut it. Shaun Draughn (38 yards total, 14 on one carry) left with a knee injury, joining Carlos Hyde, Reggie Bush and Mike Davis as backs who’ve gone down this year. Davis is eligible to come off injured reserve this week. Grade: F

Pass defense: Tramaine Brock and Kenneth Acker gave up long completions to A.J. Green (37 yards) and Marvin Jones (47 yards), but what hurt most was a 20-yard touchdown pass A.J. McCarron threw one snap after Gabbert’s second interception. Ian Williams, Jimmie Ward, Eric Reid and Ahmad Brooks each had a sack. Grade: C+

Run defense: After allowing 230 yards to Cleveland rushers, the 49ers rebounded well and gave up 68 yards on 36 carries. Veterans Ian Williams and NaVorro Bowman played inspired, and Bowman’s 12 tackles were highlighted by a fourth-down stop. The goal-line defense was admirable but ultimately allowed Jeremy Hill to score twice on 1-yard runs. Grade: A-

Special teams: Bradley Pinion clanked an 18-yard punt to set up the Bengals’ second of three touchdowns in a swift, 4 ½-minute span. Phil Dawson’s streak is over, having had a 41-yard attempt blocked after making 19 consecutive field-goal attempts. Bruce Ellington averaged 6.7 yards on six punt returns, which won’t quiet calls for Jarryd Hayne’s late-season return. Grade: C-

Coaching: Shut out in the first half for the second time in four home games? Fans abandoning their seats quicker than ever in Levi’s Stadium history? Eleven penalties? Ten losses in 14 games? Add it up and the 49ers brass can’t be convinced this staff merits a second chance in 2016. Grade: F

A week after escaping Chicago with their first road win of the season, the 49ers’ 24-10 loss at Cleveland merited a round of bashing, which several national media outlets offered up Monday morning: Continue Reading →